The AV-8B Harrier II is ideally suited to Marine aviation because of its capability to operate from forward areas. This is due to the aircraft's unique ability to take off and land within a very small area and on almost any type of surface. Likewise, it can easily operate from small helicopter carriers and amphibious assault ships. Based on the British Harrier, the American AV-8B Harrier II is a much improved design when compared to the original "jump jet". The U.S. version utilizes a more powerful British Rolls Royce Pegasus 11-61 Turbofan engine, and it has a larger and stronger wing than the previous AV-8A. The reinforced wing and uprated engine permit the AV-8B to carry more ordnance than the earlier Harrier version, and a 25-mm GAU-12/A Equalizer cannon can be mounted under the fuselage. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, AV-8B Harriers operated from assault ships and land bases to support Marine units on the ground.